southern records

January 1992, after several months of intense basement research, singer/Moog operator Tim Taylor and bassist Juan Monasterio decided it was time to turn their electrobeat twaddle into a living, breathing animal. Enter Dayton guitar-girl Michelle Bodine. The threesome spend a month of searching before stumbling on drummer Tyler Trent in a downtown used bookstore. They were drawn to him by the superior quality of his vinyl jacket, the fact that he demonstrated an ability to play so hard, as to destroy drum sets was an unusual added bonus. One month later, on the 12th of March (fact fans) the band played it's first show at a University Cafeteria, under the name We'll Eat Anything. Thankfully, discriminating appetites prevailed and the band soon found themselves playing under the the infinitely more palatable Brainiac (two i's, my friend). As spring led into summer of '92, the band found themselves playing at laundromats and local science fairs (I swear it's true) throughout the midwest. Nice work, if you can get it.

In September of 1992, Brainiac hooks up with Chicago's Limited Potential Records, a short drive of 5 hours to the NW. The fruit of this union, a seven inch single, is dubbed Super Duper Seven. Shortly after, the band plays a live show with Olympia, Washington's finest - Bratmobile. The two bands find spiritual partners in each other and decide to release a live split single documenting the show on, Dayton Ohio's, 12X12 Records.

Through the singles, the band come to the attention of Grass Records' head honcho Camille Sciarra. She offers the band a crack at the big time with an honest-to-God record contract. Not noted as individuals fond of saying "No", the band jump at the chance and recruit Eli Janney, of Girls Against Boys, to twiddle the knobs. Eli demonstrates his belief in the band by coughing up $500 to meet a studio bill way over budget. Brainiac are to this day still on a repayment schedule. Grass releases the full length Smack Bunny Baby in July of 1993. That autumn, Brainiac embark on a nationwide "dream bill" tour with The Jesus Lizard and Girls Against Boys.

Suddenly it's springtime again and the band are ready for a new guitar player. They spot whiz-kid John Schmersal, at that point studying hard for a degree as a Communications Major, displaying a fine set of moves on a local dance floor. A little persuasion later, John throws in his studies in favour of a full time gig in the band. Simple Solution Records of Dayton Ohio is the first to document the new lineup on a split single with Cincinnati noisemakers, Lazy.

In August '94 the band once again recruits Eli Janney to sit in the comfy chair, for the making of the Bonsai Superstar album. At this point the band are drawn to the road in a big way starting with an East Coast tour as support of Jawbox in September. Following Bonsai's release in November they undertake another trip to the eastern seaboard with Shudder To Think returning home in time to do a quick bit of laundry, before heading off with Girls Against Boys on a trawl of the seedier clubs of the West Coast.

At a show in Chicago, Touch and Go kingpin, Corey Rusk, catches the band and develops a (reluctant) friendship with them. The band return home to record a track for Amphetamine Reptile. "Cookie Don't Sing" winds up on Dope Guns and Fucking...Vol10 alongside tracks by the Chrome Cranks, Today Is The Day and Steel Pole Bathtub.

March of '95 sees the boys in London for a week displaying their wares at a sold out Garage show (courtesy of headliners GVSB) and with an amazingly ferocious set at the Laurel Tree.

Later that spring, Tim gets a call from Mr.Rusk who invites the boys to join the Touch and Go family. As we already know, the boys are incapable of saying "No" and rapidly agree. After playing the second stage of the mid-west leg of Lollapalooza (if you are interested, alongside the likes of Coolio and Yo La Tengo) the band return home to record a single with local pop impresario Kim Deal. Touch and Go release the Brainiac Internationale single in October of 1995. The band hit the studio again in November, once again with Eli Janney, to record their debut album, Hissing Prigs In Static Couture, for Touch and Go. They finish it just in time to jet off and join the Amps on a European tour, that has Juan visiting Berlin hospitals and gives the rest of the UK a chance to check out the band's moves.

1996 saw the band complete a European tour with old friends Girls Against Boys, then in Austin play a blinding set at South by Southwest catapulting them to the dizzy heights of "band to watch".

1997 saw them touring with the likes of The Jesus Lizard, US Maple, The Delta 72 and Cash Money.